Salman Khan Convicted For Blackbuck Poaching Case

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A Jodhpur court on Thursday convicted Salman Khan in the 1998 blackbuck killing case. His ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ co-stars, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, who were co-accused, were however, acquitted in the same case. A fifth person, Dushyant Singh, a local businessman from the area, has also been acquitted

Salman Khan, without a doubt, is the biggest box office draw in India today. The 52-year-old star has delivered one blockbuster after another, In the last decade Chief Judicial Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri, while pronouncing the verdict in the case that had been under way for 20 years, called the actor a ‘habitual offender’. Judge Khatri ruled that hence the actor has been convicted, while the others have been given the benefit of the doubt.

The quantum of punishment in store for the actor will be announced later. Arguments on the punishment are under way, with the actor’s lawyers a rguing for probation and pleading for minimum sentence. If his bail plea gets rejected, the actor may have to spend prison time till Monday, when he can re-apply for bail.

Khan may have to serve 6 years in prison, as he faces charges under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. The othes were charged under Section 51 read with Section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code.r actor

Salman Khan was accused of killing two blackbucks in Bhagoda ki Dhani in Kankani village near Jodhpur on the intervening night of October 1-2, 1998, during the shooting of Hum Saath Saath Hain. He has been convicted under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, which carries maximum punishment of six years and minimum one-year jail term.